


Falling

by KEZZ2



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25615408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KEZZ2/pseuds/KEZZ2
Kudos: 24





	1. on edge

She woke with a gasp, a light sheen of sweat coating her, dampening her sleep shirt, hanging heavy in her hair.

Panicking, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, bending over and wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. Her breath continued rasping in and out, burning her throat and making her lightheaded. She felt herself spiraling, loosing sense of reality. The shirt on her back clung sickeningly close, stinking of fear-sweat. She felt as though she was suffocating.

Caught in the dregs of the nightmare that destroyed her sleep, she saw flashes of green and yellow light, frozen images from the battle. Pain flared in her side from wound from the Guardian’s backlash. Her mind was caught, the images backing each other, building, climbing, tearing through her reality. One image, replayed, shifting, twisting, memories piling in, fears reinforcing. And a voice, layered in disappointment and sarcasm, always sounding off with her failures, her betrayals.

She wasn’t on the edge of a bed any more. In her mind, she was caught on a precipice, teetering. The image flashed and changed. One moment she was on a ledge, reaching down, stretching, grasping. Below her, just out of reach, another hand clawed at a fracturing edge, unable to grip. As she reached down, just a breathe away, the edge gave way.

In a blinding flash, she was the one clawing, scrabbling franticly at the fraying edge. The hand reaching down suddenly stopping, withdrawing with a mocking laugh…

Blinding light, and she’s watching that same hand reaching for her, desperately, while being dragged backwards into a darkening mirror.

Flash, she’s staring over a cliff face into fog and clouds, watching two forms disappear from site as shadows claw at her from all sides.

Flash…She’s on the same edge, and jumps…

She’s on a rusting, crumbling outlook over a darkening land...

Teetering on the edge, tipping, falling silently...

The images seer through her, layering on top and through each other. They switch directions, reversing, flipping dizzily from one to the next. And always the voice, pushing her, driving, pressing.

She barely felt the mattress shift behind her. A blurred form shifts if front of her, warm hands pressing firmly on her legs, grounding her.  
“Hey, Adora.”

Real or Not Real. True or False. Memory or implanted/altered reality. She doesn’t know, she can’t tell anymore, with her breath cutting harsh lines down her throat.

The pressure increases, firms. The hands begin softly kneading the tense, tremoring muscles. A dark, muscled rope of a tail wraps around her ankles, bringing needed warmth.

“Hey…Adora. Breathe, Just Breath with me.”

The figure is taking slow breaths, deeply in, holding, controlled exhale.

“Can you hear me, Adora?”

She tries to answer, to acknowledge the form, the fragile comforting presence. Her voice is trapped by the images still caging her mind. The only sound she makes is a tortured groan.

“Stay with me, Adora. Just stay here with me and breathe. The air this morning is so crisp. Just Breathe. Listen to the birds calling, hear the waterfall. Breathe. In. Hold. Breathe out. Hold…"  
"Slow it down. Feel my hands, feel the rhythm."

She feels sharp points, dig into her leg, release, press, repeat. Dig in, release, press. Dig in, release, press. Always at the same slow, calm words. Drawing her back. Drawing her home.

The form in front of her slowly comes into focus. Sharp black claws extending from the deceptively strong fingers kneading her legs, wiry arms, ears tipped forward-twitching in concentration and concern.

She’s finally, finally able to take a deep breath.

“Hey, Adora. That’s it. It’s hard, I know. Just keep going, Breathe slow. When you can, try to relax your arms. Start with your hands. Relax your grip.”

She tried to listen, to follow, but her hand seemed locked.

“Okay, let’s go a different direction.’’  
A hand leaves her thigh, the absence making her shudder.  
“Hey, No. Relax. I’m here, I’m right here."  
The hand shifted to her tensed fingers, pressing firm, the kneading motion starting again.

Slowly, one breathe at a time, one incrementally she felt her hands relax. Her arms dropped to her side, and she sat up. She laced her fingers between the ones still resting on her thigh.  
“Thanks” “I don’t know what came over me. I had this nightmare, but when I woke up, It didn’t stop.”  
“Do you want to tell me about it? You don’t have to, but if you think it would help, we can work through it together.”  
She shook her head, not wanting to relive it again.

“Okay.”

“When did you learn to do this? The breathing and calmness, and wanting to talk?”

“I told you I was working on my anger issues. Perfuma’s been helping me. We’ve been working on meditation and breathing exercises. It’s been helping me."  
Catra looks at their joined hands, feels the chill, the Nightmare ice that had settled on Adora's hands, start to abate.  
One time, I started panicking. I started to remember flashes from the Fright Zone. Things I had forgotten, or just blocked out because they were so painful. Things ShadowWeaver did when I failed her tests, things the other cadets or trainers would do when you weren’t around."

" I couldn’t control myself, I started to claw and rip at the vines and cushions around me, I hardly knew where I was anymore."  
"Melog was there, they stood on my legs, and kept me from lashing out, hurting myself, or hurting Perfuma. Theys started to knead their paws into my thighs. It gave me something to focus on, helped me find my balance."  
"I didn’t even realize it, but Perfuma had been right with me, she never shied away. She just kept talking, kept guiding my breathing even when I wasn’t able to hear or respond to her. She had used her vines to help Melog, without making me feel tied down. Like she knew that would make it worse.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help you, wasn’t able to protect you from them. I knew about ShadowWeaver, obviously. But I didn’t realize it was so bad with everyone else.”

“Adora, stop blaming yourself. Everything that happened to me, It wasn’t your fault. Stop letting ShadowWeaver into your head. You may have been oblivious, but you didn’t cause any thing, and you protected me from the worst of it.”  
“Until I left you…”  
“You didn’t leave me, alright? You asked me to go with you from the start. You saw the harm Hordak and the army were causing, you protected people from them, from me. I hit you with a shock stick, but you still asked me stay.”  
“I always wanted you with me. I hated fighting you. It was so much worse than when we would face each other in sparring. “  
“Yeah, I could tell you weren’t trying your hardest. It used to make me so mad, like you didn’t respect me enough to fight me for real, yet you still managed to win.”  
“What do you mean, you could tell? Those fights tore me apart.”  
“Adora, seriously? The first time I saw She-ra, she destroyed a battalion of tanks. The next time? She destroyed a research and energy station. She single-handedly repaired and repowered the Sea-Gate in one day, after it took the Horde years of Siege warfare and attacks to weaken it. She stepped into space and destroyed honest to Spirits Battle ships without breaking a sweat.”  
“What’s your point?”  
“Honestly, your such an idiot sometimes. If you had wanted to kill me, destroy the Fright Zone, or the Horde, we would be dead."  
"But you beat me. You and Scorpia caught me in the Wastes, and you were able to corrupt She-ra in the Ice temple."  
"Even the few times I captured you, it was because you refused to hurt me first."  
“I never thought of that. I was so busy trying to protect people, and just hoped I wouldn't drive you further away.”

Catra stood up, her ears pinning back against her head, her tail releasing from Adora’s ankles, drooping and curling around her own leg. She turned from the bed, shoulders hunched, and walked over to the balcony rail.

“We’ve both hurt each other, and been hurt so much by others who were supposed to protect us. So much has happened. Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning, suffocating under all the pressure. It feels like ShadowWeaver is still behind me, trapping me in her darkness.”

She leaned on the rail, slowly breathing in the morning air, taking a moment to recenter. She felt a warmth press against her side, and wrap around her ankles. Melog took shape next to her, nudging their head into Catra’s waist.

“Thanks, Melog."

Adora walks to the balcony doors, reaching a hand out towards Catra. She took a step closer, intending to add her comfort to Melog’s.

Just as she was about to press her hand to Catra’s back, the view caught her.

The landscape fell away, seeming to drop forever, just like in her nightmare.

She stepped back, gasping, and gripping with whitened knuckles onto the doorframe.

Catra turned back, surprised at the fright she saw in Adora.

Adora had never been timid about heights. While not the most graceful climber, she had followed her around the rooftops in the Fright Zone, often playing a game of catch-me-if-you can. They had raced up towers and scaled cliffs in training. And Adora had always been game, often leading the way for the squad. Always grinning and joking around.

“Hey, Adora, what is it? What’s wrong?” Catra stepped back from the railing, sliding her hands up and down Adora’s arms.

“You…You fell, I couldn’t save you. In the tower, in the portal dimension, with Horde Prime. I couldn’t save you. At the dance, at the tower. When we were fighting. You…you let go. You let go and fell and I was just hanging there.  
“And Glimmer, Beau. They just jumped. There was a cliff and clouds and they just jumped!”  
And the shadows were chasing me, trying to trap me. And…and…and I fell… “  
“When we were in the FirstOnes chamber. When I was hanging on the edge. You walked away, the ledge gave way, and I fell. The crystal planet, the crust, it just collapsed, and the chasm opened, I fell. The chamber was collapsing all around, Glimmer, she just kept climbing.  
“I couldn’t…, I can’t…, I just…”  
Her eyes were unfocused, staring.

“Is this what woke you? Is this the nightmare?”

Adora just drops her head, shamed by her fear.

“Adora, why wouldn’t you tell me?”


	2. step back

_Adora just drops her head, shamed by her fear._

_“Adora, why wouldn’t you tell me?”_

Adora mumbles something even Catra’s ears can’t make out.

What was that? I didn’t hear you.”

Because I’m She-Ra, Okay?!! You said it yourself. I can destroy battalions of tanks and bots, recharge Sea-Gates, slice through spaceships. “

“That’s She-Ra, though. And anyways. What does that have to do with anything?”

“Because I should be better, stronger. I can do all those things, but I can’t step onto a stupid balcony to comfort you? It’s stupid, it’s just me being weak. Being worthless.”

Catra hears ShadowWeaver’s degrading words echoing through Adora’s distress.

“Hey, Adora. Breathe. Just breathe. Let’s go back over here.” She leads the other woman to waterfall in the corner of the room. Trying not to think about how ridiculous it was to have a waterfall inside, she pulled Adora down to sit on the raised edge.

Melog follows, curling up at their feet.

“It’s not stupid, Adora. Your allowed to feel things, to be hurt, and to be weak. It doesn’t always have to be you.

“I’m no good at this. Talking. I’m better at punching out my feelings.”

Perfuma says it takes practice. Like when we were training with the blasters, remember? You couldn’t hit the target 1 time in 10, much less get a bullseye.”

“Like you were any better at it.”

“Whaaat?! I was amazing!” Catra says with a smirk.

Adora shoves into her with her shoulder. “Yeah, right. Amazingly bad.”

Catra just shrugs, glad Adora is talking, and not focusing on her fears.

Anyways, when Perfuma started working with me, she had me do this meditation stuff. And at first, it was super hard. Like 2 minutes in and I wanted to crawl up the walls.”

“Bet that went over well.”

“Surprisingly, it did. She told me she struggled with it too. That there were days that she just couldn’t settle either. That the world was too loud. She said she always tries to find her Zen, to be her best self. But that sometimes all the plants are cacti.”

“Erm, what?

“I don’t really know what that means, either.”

They both laugh.

“Do you think that’s one of those weird princess sayings?”

“I dunno. I think it was just a Perfuma thing.”

“What’s the weirdest thing you’ve run into here.”

“Cheese cubes”

Oh, yeah, those things are just weird. I thought they were like the yellow vitamin blocks, just cut smaller. But nope. There these squishy pieces of old, coagulated, fermented milk. Blehch.”

“What about you. What’s the strangest thing you’ve found?”

“The poofy beds.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. My first night here, Glimmer and Bow just brought me to this room, laughed at me when I asked if the waterfall was for bathing, and left me.”

“Wait, it’s not for bathing?

“Well, not technically. I still like it though, its calming. Anyways, so here I am, looking around for the mat to sleep on. But all there is, is this ginormous puffy cushion surrounded by hanging bits of fabric.”

“They call them curtains.”

“Right. So. I figure, how bad can it be? And climb on top.”

What happened?”

“It tried to swallow me whole! Seriously it was like fighting quick sand. And it wouldn’t go flat.”

“HaHa I can see that. What did you do?”

“Punched it, repeatedly. Until I killed it. There were feathers EVERYWHERE!”

“Adora! Really?”

“Yup. And then, I’m walking through the halls, looking for Glimmer’s room, covered in feathers. I mean, I looked like Kyle after he cleaned out the pigeon coup. And I run into Queen Angella. Literally. Ran into her.”

Catra starts laughing again. She can picture the scene clearly, knowing how awkward Adora can be, especially when she’s out of her element.

“Honestly, you are such an idiot, Adora.”

“But I’m your idiot. So what does that make you?”

“Lucky”

Adora drops her head, blushing.

After a few minutes, Catra tried to go back to where they had started the day.

“Adora, we’ve never really talked about everything that happened. Before the Heart.”

Adora starts to fidget, anxiously twisting her fingers.

Catra sighed. “Maybe we should go outside. See how the reconstruction is going.”

“Yeah. Let’s do that. I think, yeah, I want to do that. Focus on something real for a while.”

Catra nods, and moves to get up.

“Hey, Catra?”

She pauses.

“Thankyou. And, maybe, after we’re done with the rebuild for today, we can talk to Perfuma. Maybe I can join in on some of your sessions. I mean. If that’s okay. If not, I totally get it, it’s your thing. I shouldn’t have said… You know what, nevermind. Just forget I said anything…”

Catra listens to her ramble for a bit, then slides an arm around Adora’s waist. “I’d like that.”

“Just, can we maybe not tell Bow and Glimmer?”

“Absolutely.” She shifts away slightly, “Ready to face the day?”

“With you, always.”


	3. Split Route

The day went smoothly. Glimmer transported them (Catra was _almost_ used to it now) to the FrightZone to join the work crews. They separated into different crews. Catra worked with Scorpia, using her recent knowledge of the inner workings of the FrightZones industries and infrastructure to help repair housing and medical facilities.

They had been converting the factories that made armor plating into more versatile production. Glimmer had initially pushed for its destruction, saying that with magic back, they didn’t need the tech. It took a lot of arguing. A LOT of arguing. Catra had had to use all of her still very new anger management skills not to lash out at the Brightmoon Queen. She felt Glimmer was being intentionally obtuse. Just because the Princesses had better control of their magic, didn’t mean it fixed everything.

In fact, Magick caused just as many problems as it solved, from what she could tell. The beasts and vines had been contained in the Forest, drawing from the Heart’s magick. Now they were able to spread freely through the world.

Your average townsfolk just had no way to deal with a 20-foot-tall glowing purple magi-hog that decided their Townsquare was the perfect place to farrow; the 5-foot newborn shoats then staggering around and crashing through carts and storefronts. Nor did the farmers have a way to prevent the Spirit trees from moving through their plantings at night, destroying their harvests.

It took taking Glimmer to see how hard regular people had to work to get through the day. She showed her farmers struggling with their horses and oxen to cut through magical vines that kept growing into their fields. The road crews with shovels working for days to repair even a small stretch of road pockmarked by the blaster fire during the last horde battle. The townspeople of Erlandia rebuilding their market space after wild magicks had charged through on their way to the next magick well.

Catra had then tracked down Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle. They were working to repurpose some of the Bots, based on plans from Entrapta, to help with farming and road building. The Bots, once known only for death and destruction, were now prized by communities. They allowed the people to focus on improving their lives, instead of struggling to survive.

Seeing that, Glimmer had agreed to the continuation of tech. She had, however, put a moratorium on weapons production. Catra figured she could work on her about that, though. She knew, better than most, what could happen by creating a power void. There were enemies of the Horde out there in the new universe. They may not appreciate the distinction between Horde and former Horde. And there were the descendants of the First Ones to track down as well, from what she had seen in the Crystal Palaces, they weren't much better.

It continued to surprise Catra. That people listened to her, that they valued her opinion. She knew she had, if not caused, at least exacerbated, a lot of the damage done by the Horde. She knew she still had a lot of amends to make, especially with the soldiers and workers within the Horde itself. Somedays it just felt so heavy. There were people, like Octavia, who would always hate her. She couldn’t blame them, and left them alone as much as possible. She didn’t know why Lonnie and her former squad didn’t hate her, too.

But, back on the Horde ship, she started with doing one good thing. And then, another. And another. And with each individual attempt, with every effort of good intention, the next became easier.

Working with Adora, the Princesses, and their friends, she was helping heal the wounds left on their world by generations of war.

That’s why she found herself back in Horde Command, staring around at all the damage. Scorpia and Entrapta had decided that some of the Tech in Hordac's old lab could be repaired and repurposed to help run the Medical Center they were rebuilding. Several crews were working on various pieces of computer wreckage. They worked efficiently after receiving their instructions from Catra, Scorpia and Entrapta. 

Seeing that the work was progressing, Catra stepped back, letting it progress without interfering. She looked out across the expansive space.

She had been back before, during the battle with Prime. She knew it was bad. That the worst of the destruction was because of her fallout with Hordac.

Somehow, seeing it now, was worse. Without the pressure and adrenaline surge of the fight the twisted, charred, and broken equipment and support columns struck her hard. As flawed and restrictive and abusive as it had been, it was her home.

She felt a dark mood start to descend. With the help of Perfuma, she was starting to notice her mood shifts before she lost control. Acknowledging that she was responding to the environment, she took a deep breath. Tasting the metallic air, she turned to one of the tunnels that lead outside.

After opening the hatch at the end, she startled a bit. She had forgotten the transformation that had taken place in the FrightZone. Looking out over green vines and flowers was always a shock after the concrete and metal confines inside.

Taking a minute to breath the clean air, she felt herself settling down. She ran through one of the quick centering exercises that Perfuma had been teaching her. Feeling better from the brief respite, she turned back to the tunnel.

As she makes her way back through to the command center, she passes the side corridor that leads to her old squad’s barracks. Before she can change her mind, she turns and walks slowly in that direction. Just as she reaches the door, she hears a sound all to familiar to her. The muffled sound of someone trying desperately not to be noticed as they cry, either from physical injury or emotional trauma.

That sound had pervaded her young life. She hesitated. Part of her wanted to stick with what she knew, to turn and leave, and let the other person have the illusion of privacy.

She started to, to turn and to go. Before she stepped away, she heard a noise that broke her heart. A pained moan that carried her own name.

Stepping inside, she approached the alcove with the double cot where she and Adora used to bunk. The shape on the mattress was familiar, she had seen it curled into itself often when she returned late from her solitary wanderings. Catra didn’t like what it said about her that she hadn’t realized the pain her friend was in, back then.

She had always been the one receiving comfort, or being tracked down after she had lashed out defensively. She couldn’t remember ever returning the effort Adora put into her wellbeing, as fragile at thing as it was then.

She resolved to fix that, starting right now.

\-------------

The day continued to test Adora.

Adora had joined the group working with Lonnie, Kyle, Rogelio and Huntara. They were working on salvaging what they could from the living quarters in Horde Command.

Her three former squad mates were working like a well oiled Mecha. Separating, sorting, packing for transport. She tried to help them at first, but quickly realized she was upsetting their rhythm. She left them to it.

She went over by Huntara, but she and Octavia were…reconnecting. Adora kept moving.

Each group she approached was already working smoothly, with the efficiency trained into Horde-Life, but with a cooperation and coordination that had been lacking when she had been with them.

She recognized the changes. Improving the cohesiveness of the teams had been one of the many things she and Catra had spoken about, in hushed tones, after lights out. Catra had done it, on her own. Without Adora, maybe in spite of Adora.

No one needed her help. No one needed She-ra’s strength.

No one noticed when she walked away.

Feeling useless, she started to walk the halls alone.

She found herself looking in the air glider bunker, remembering the last time she had rode one. Back at the start of all the troubles. When she had first become Horde Captain, it had been the first true separation between her and Catra. Up until that point, they had been through everything, side by side. Always finishing in the top two.

She wished she could go back, and listen to what Catra hadn’t been able to say. She wished she could have heard the pain and disappointment lacing Catra’s faint words of support for her advancement.

She knew ShadowWeaver had always sabotaged Catra’s efforts, had blocked her advancement both overtly and through subtle undermining of her relationships. Even that last simulation run. She knew, somehow, that ShadowWeaver had prevented Catra from joining the squad at the beginning of the exercise. 

When Adora thought back about those times, she couldn’t help but think she had failed Catra. She could have fought harder. She could have worked harder to protect her from ShadowWeaver.

But she had only thought of herself. Her accomplishments. Just selfish. Her promotion. No wonder Catra had refused to follow her after she first found the sword. Follow her. Why should any one follow her. She couldn’t think of anything she had done to warrant being a leader.

They only ever accepted her because of the sword, because she could turn into an 8-foot-tall magical wreaking ball.

She turned away, as if that would block her memories.

Her thoughts, caught in a dark fog, reinforced by lessons driven in by ShadowWeaver.

Walked away, sped up, started to run. Trying to escape emotions she was unable to punch out of herself.

Adora found herself in the corridor outside of Shadow Weaver’s former quarters. She knew Catra had claimed the space for her own after ShadowWeaver had been imprisoned by Hordac. She stepped inside, trying to get a feel for how Catra had lived after she had abandoned her to run away with Glimmer and Bow.

In the corner, tucked behind a lamp, she found a crudely drawn image of Catra with Scorpia, Entrapta, and Emily. The frame looked like it had been broken, and repaired. Adora picked it up, wondering again at how far Catra had come after she left, making new friends, even if she really didn’t know how to be a good friend.

Just another thing Adora felt she failed at. She had been with Catra from the start, from the moment she entered the Horde orphanage. But she wasn’t able to show Catra how to be a friend.

She thought briefly about going outside, to breath in the air that was fresher that she ever remembered in the FrightZone. Somehow, the thought of the magical vines didn't make her smile like it usually did. They just reminded her that she had been too weak to save her world.

She had given up, surrendered and abandoned everyone she loved to the horrors of HordePrime. She knew that Catra was the one who had truly saved Etheria. Adora remembered her voice calling out to her, drawing her back. Catra had saved _her_ , stopped her from letting the FailSafe be fully corrupted. 

Still holding the framed picture, Adora staggered out of the room. Her eyes blurred with emotion, she navigated by memory as much as sight. She turned into the barracks room she used to share with Catra and their squad members.

Not really seeing the tumbled bunks strewn through the room, she staggered to her former berth. She collapsed face down on, clutching the headrest tightly, using it to muffle her crying.

Crying was not tolerated, it was weakness, it was attention seeking selfishness. You did not want to be caught crying. 

Still clutching the headrest, she rolled to her side. She opened her eyes, knowing that the sketch she had made of her and Catra would be there. It had always comforted her, even when they had been fighting.

Focusing on the drawing, she couldn’t contain the moan of pain that rolled through her. The slash marks crisscrossing her face, effectively cutting her out of Catra’s life. Much like she had cut Catra out with She-Ra’s sword. Giving into the darkness, she curled herself, knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around the cushion.

One hand, releasing itself, reached out to trace the gouges, feeling the cold concrete, the jagged edges biting into her fingers. Catra’s name fell from her lips, groaning out with her distress.

She didn’t notice a small lithe figure cautiously approaching.


	4. Choss

Catra saw Adora’s hand, caught on deep grooves clawed into the wall. She inhaled sharply, realizing what, who had caused Adora pain this time.

Catra remembered the night she had slashed her claws across the reminder of her failures. She had been so enraged, so out of control. If Adora had been in chains in front of her right then, she would have carried the same wounds.

“Hey, Adora.” She spoke soothingly.

Adora jerks back, expecting punishment, pain to spark through her as payment for weakness.

“Hey, shh. Shh. It’s just me. I’m here.” Catra sits on the bunk, her tail wrapping around Adora’s ankle as it had earlier.

“Catra.”

“Of course, it’s me, dummy. Who else would come in here?”

“I’m so sorry, Catra. I’m sorry. So, so Sorry.” Adora sobs, still caught in the pain of seeing the disfigured image.

“For what, Adora? Why are you sorry?

“You should go, leave me. I deserve it. I hurt you so much. I left you behind, I promised I wouldn’t, but I left you behind, so many times.

“What are you talking about? We went over this this morning. You didn’t leave me. You asked me to go with you, begged me to, in fact. I am the one who refused to change.

Adora reaches for the wall again, tracing the image of Catra.

“This wall? That was Me failing, not you. That was me refusing to see a different path, because I was so used to fighting through the brambles.”

“I should have helped you more. I should have found a way. I could have stopped so much pain if I had just stayed with you.”

“No. Adora, look at me. Please. Look at me now.”

Adora pulls her eyes from the wall, slowly, as if it’s tearing her apart to do so. She turns her head, closing her eyes against the disgust she is so sure she will see in Catra’s face at her weakness.

“Please look at me, Adora. I need to know you’re hearing me. I need to see your eyes, because they have never, ever lied to me. Even when you were angry or disappointed in me, they never lied.”

Adora opens reddened, tear streaked eyes. She doesn’t understand the look on Catra’s face. She had been so sure she would see something akin to hatred. But it wasn't hatred at all. it was....

“I love you, Adora. And I deserve _you_. And you deserve _me_ , though Spirits help you there.”

Adora smile blooms like the morning sunrise, gradually brightening, spreading to brilliance.

“There she is. Hey, Adora.” Catra says, finally smiling for the first time since entering the room.

“Hey, Catra.”

“Want to tell me what you’re doing in here? I thought you were going to work on the salvage crew with Lonnie and Huntara.:

“I was. I did. But…”

“But what?”

Adora sits up, shifts back against the wall, crossing her legs.

“They didn’t need me. I was just in the way. I wasn’t helping anyone.”

Catra shifts as well, mirroring Adora.

“Of course, you were helping.”

“No. They were all working so well, all the teams. Lonnie and Rogellio, and even Kyle were so coordinated, I just kept getting in the way.

“Adora, you weren’t in the way. They’re just a really strong squad.”

“You did so much good here, Catra. The Horde was so lucky to have you.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you saw me after the Portal fiasco. Any bridge I had made the previous three years, I didn’t just burn it, I set explosives and blew out its foundations. If Horde Prime hadn’t showed up when he did, the Horde would have mutinied, and my head would have been on a pike in a week.”

“But I can see it. I can see how much better everyone is doing. All the changes you and I had talked about, I can see them in the squads, in how they communicate and interact. I can even see it in what’s left of the living quarters. They look lived in, personal. I felt like I could tell whose room I was in, without even being told.”

“That’s more because ShadowWeaver left. She was the one who used your identity against you. If anyone had left personal items where she could find them, she used it to tear them apart.”

“Gods, Catra, your right. Why didn’t I ever see that. No wonder she went after us so hard. I never even tried to hide how important you were to me. She reaches back to the drawing. She tried so hard to destroy us. To destroy you. She succeded in ripping us apar, for so long. Gah! How was I so WEAK!?”

Before Catra could stop her, Adora slammed her fist into the scarred image of her face on the wall. Again, and again, and again. Ripping her skin, bruising her knuckles, nearly breaking her bones. Cursing and screaming; as though if she hit hard enough, screamed loud enough, bleed red enough, the visage in front of her would be obliterated.

“ADORA!” Shocked by the rage rolling off the usually amiable woman, Catra was momentarily frozen into inaction. Coming back to herself, she tacked Adora, wrapping her arms around the taller woman.

“Adora STOP” She cried out, finding her arms full of wrestling, violent, senseless self-loathing.

Adora just screamed. She screamed out her rage, her pain, her sense of failure. She screamed, and screamed and screamed. Until her throat was raw, her voice hoarse. Until she was gasping for breath.

“You’re going to hurt yourself. Please stop. Please, come back to me, Adora.”

Catra stayed with her, holding her, trying to keep her from harming herself until she regained control.

Hearing a sound at the door, Catra looked up to see a very concerned group looking on. Adora’s screams had been heard throughout the building, and out onto the grounds. Glimmer, Bow and Perfuma had apparently blinked in. Scorpia, Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio had come at a run. Huntara had paused long enough to pick up a staff weapon, ready to defend against any attack.

Catra looked at them all, knowing they were here because it was Adora screaming. That they all recognized the sound. That they had, every one of them, unfailingly, stopped what they were doing to save their friend.

Adora. Would. Hate. It.

Catra knew that, as well as she knew her own name. She took a breath, then, catching Glimmer’s eye, shook her head, mouthing, “I have her, it’s OK.”

Glimmer frowned, but nodded, and started to draw the group back.

“Perfuma.” Catra called out, before they left. “Can you come back in a few minutes?”

The other woman nods, saddened by the sight of her friend hurting, and walks away with Scorpia.

Suprisingly, it’s Huntara that is the hardest to convince to go.

“She’s forgotten, hasn’t she.” She says, quietly.

“Forgotten?”

“That we’re not alone anymore. That we don’t have to fight all the time, everyone, even ourselves. That there is more to this life than what she can give to others.”

“We’ll have to remind her.” Catra says.

“See that you do, Catgirl. Or your fights in the Crimson Waste will seem like no contact sparring matches.”

Catra smiles, “Thanks for having her back, Hunt. Even, no Especially against me. You’re a good friend.”

Huntara blushes, which Catra hadn’t known was possible, before being pulled away by Octavia.

Once everyone has left, and the hallway is quiet again, Catra refocuses on Adora.

No longer screaming, she has curled into a tight ball on the bed, and is crying silently, her arms wrapped over her head as if to protect from a blow.

“I’m here, Adora, I’m right here. She didn’t win. She never will.”

You said… you said…” She choked back another rush of anguish. “You said that me leaving was the best thing that ever happened to you. You cut me loose, dropped the sword, and left me hanging on that edge with the spiders.”

“Adora… I…Wait, what? What do you mean I left you hanging from the edge? You mean at the Princess Prom? There were no spiders there.” Catra asks, confused.

“No, in Light Hopes First Ones ruins. After the spiders found me again. aYou said I was the one holding you back, making you feel weak. That when I left, it was the best thing that ever happened to you, that you should have gotten rid of me sooner.”

Catra sits back appalled. “No. I never said that, I don’t remember ever saying that. When did I say that?” Catra's ears droop, upset.

Adora sits up as well. “Right after we relived that horrible day in Shadow Weaver’s chamber. When we fought, about me not standing up to her, for not protecting you like I promised.”

“But Adora, I left, right after that, well right after I relived you coming back for me after I hurt you that day, like you always did. I left the ruins, I ran. I didn’t see you again.

“But…I was fighting the Spiders. I lost the sword. And I fell over the cliff. I was hanging by that Spider guardian goo-web.”

  
"But. No It happened. I know it did. I was fighting those Spider guards again, but I lost my sword. I kept fighting but I got pushed back. I tried to talk to Light Hope, to get the Spiders to stop. Then the floor disappeared under me, and all I had to hold was that glowing spiderweb.

  
“Adora, I never came back. I never saw you again, except in those creepy visions that place forced on us. I ran out, clawed through visions of me as a kid, of you and me grown. But I ran out.”

  
“Wait. No, but you came back. You drove off the Spiders. I thought you came back for me, to save me. But you cut the web, you made me fall. You said you were better off without me. And then…the world went dark. Light Hope. She said…She said…”

  
“What did that bitch of a corrupted program say.”

  
“She said I had to let go. And the cliff…disappeared. And I… I fell? I think? And then Light Hope came, she was there when I woke up… Or came to…But I…I don’t remember hitting the ground. It was…It was like that dream, that nightmare.”

  
“Adora. Look at me. Look at my eyes. I never came back after that Shadow Weaver nightmare. That…it was just too much. Like it was all happening again. I couldn’t move, and the electricity was raging over my skin and through my bones.”

Catra takes a shuddering breath

“So, I fought with you about something that wasn’t true, wasn’t real. Because otherwise it hurt too much to remember Shadow Weaver. And those stupid holograms kept appearing in my way until I just yelled that I wanted out. And then a door appeared, and I went through, and I was back in that weird forest.”

  
Catra drops her head, ears pressed tight.

  
“I never even looked back. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I left you there, to face those monsters alone.

  
“It wasn’t you. Cutting my line, letting me fall.”  
“Gods. No.”

  
Adora leaps forward, wrapping her arms around Catra so tight it’s hard for her to catch a breath.

  
“It wasn’t you.”

  
“No. No, it wasn’t.”

  
There is a tapping sound from the doorway.

The two on the bed look over, and see Perfuma standing there, unsure if she should step in.

  
“Hey, Perfuma. Can you come talk to us for bit?” Catra asks.

  
“Uh, Sure. Yeah. Absolutely.”

  
She steps closer, cautiously. Looking around the dull grey walls and utilitarian beds. She shudders, thinking about how so many of her new friends had grown up in these unfriendly environs.

  
“What did you want to talk about, Catra?”

  
“Well, you know how we’ve been meeting, and you’ve been helping me with my anger issues?”

  
“Yes, you’ve made great progress.”

  
"Yeah, so could you help Adora too?"  
“But she doesn’t have anger issues like you do.”  
“No, but we both have those issues with abandonment and trust you talked about helping me with when we first got back.”

  
“Catra, I don’t want to bother her. She’s busy with everything here, and” Adora starts.

  
“Nonsense, Adora. I’m never too busy to help a friend.” Perfuma says, interrupting.

“Can we maybe go outside to talk about it though. I’m getting a really creepy vibe here.” Perfuma shudders and looks quickly into the far corners of the room as if expecting something to jump from the shadows.

  
Catra nods; She moves to get off the bed. 

  
Adora hesitates. 

  
“What’s wrong, Adora” Perfuma asks. 

  
“Can we maybe not do this here. In the Fright Zone, I mean. I’m just, well, having a hard time with some of the changes here.”

  
“Sure. We can go back to my place, or to Brightmoon if you’d rather.”

  
“Your place, I think. If that’s really okay. If not”

  
“Adora, its fine. I’ll just let Scorpia know were going, so she doesn’t worry. Do you want Glimmer to take us back?”

  
“Can we maybe not? Its just, I don’t want to talk to anyone else right now.”

  
“Why don’t we steal one of the Gliders? It’ll be like old times.” Catra says, smirking.

  
“OOOH! I’ve been wanting to go for another ride on one of those ever since we rescued Glimmer from Shadow Weaver.”  
She pauses. Thinking.  
“That’s what I’ve been feeling. Shadow Weaver.”

  
Catra and Adora jerk back.

  
“No. That’s…That’s not possible. She Died. I Saw It. We both did.”

  
“She’s gone. She has to be.”


	5. Anchor

“I believe you. But her energy is still here, in the walls, in the air. It’s affecting the flow of power. Her negative energy is blocking the positive changes. I bet that’s why the renovations are going so slowly.”

“Maybe that’s what I’ve been feeling.” Adora says. “I’m really not very good at the whole figuring out feelings thing. I’m better at punching them out.” She starts shadowboxing nonexistent foes.

Perfuma grabs her hands, holding them still. “No. No more hitting our feelings.”

“Is this like the “we don’t throw tanks at friends.” thing?”

“Yes. Exactly.” Perfuma beams.

“So, I should expect my feelings to start hitting me in the face any time now, then.”

Perfuma scowls. “Adora.”

“Alright. Alright. I won’t punch my feelings.”

Catra just smirks.

“Oh, like you’re any better.” Adora says, shoving her shoulder.

“I am so much better, and faster, and..” She dodges away from Adora’s tackle, resulting in Adora tripping over debris on the floor and crashing into the wall. “much more coordinated.”

Adora blushes, grumbles and pushes herself off the wall.

Through all this, Perfuma has continued down the hall towards the hanger bay. She sees Scorpia working with a group of Horde and villagers to pack supplies into one of the larger cargo haulers.

“Scopia!”

“Oh, Perfuma, gosh. I didn’t see you there. Hi! And Catra and oh, and Adora. Heeyyee. You doing ok, there Adora?”

“Hi Scorpia. I’ve been having a rough day, honestly. But Perfuma and Catra are trying to help me.”

“Oh, good. Good. Im glad. Perfuma is a great friend. And Catra is getting much better at it. Let me know if I can help. I give great hugs. Hugs make everything better.”

“I’ll remember, thanks Scorpia.” Adora lowers her head, really not wanting to discuss her breakdown right there."

Catra notices, and pulls her away. “Scorp, were gonna take one of the gliders for a bit. Perfuma wanted to go for a ride."

“Oh. Oh Kay. Sure. I getcha. No problem.”

“I think the one in back is fueled up. The rest are waiting for the maintenance crews to give them a once over.” Catra says, moving off in that direction.

“Thanks, Scorpia. You’re a good friend too, you know.” Adora says, being pulled away by Catra.

Scorpia beams, and waves as they walk away.

Perfuma lingers for a few moments.

“Scorpia, do you know where Glimmer or Micah are?”

“Ummm, let me think. They were going to… no that was earlier. Maybe by the…No that’s where Lonnie and Rogelio are working. I… I guess I don’t really know. I’m sorry.”

“Its not a problem, Scorpia. I just wanted to warn them about something, maybe have them look into it while we’re out.”

“What is it?”

“Its just something I felt when I was with Catra and Adora in that bunk room. It felt like Shadow Weaver was in the room, like she could step out of the shadows anytime.”

“Oh, but no. no. Catra and Adora said she died. She did, didn’t she. Not that I want anyone to die, but she was just so…so…mean, and cruel. And she really twisted the energy from the Black Garnet.”

“I know you’ve been connecting more fully with your family runestone. I’m proud of you Scorpia.”

“Thanks. But ShadowWeaver. She did some really nasty things with my stone. I keep feeling these twisty spiky knots in the, well, current, I guess.”

“Maybe I can help you with that. I had to undo some damage in the Living tree when the Horde poisoned the forest. I might have some ideas that would help.”

“Would you, oh, that would be great! And I’ll tell Glimmer and her dad, jeeze, that still sound weird, I’ll tell her and Micah what you felt. Maybe they can figure it out.”

“Thankyou Scorpia. I’m going to take Adora and Catra back to my village. We’re going to do some meditation and movement intervention to try to correct Adora’s karmic imbalance.”

“Um… sure. That sounds. I really don’t know what that is. But I hope her day gets better. You always make my day better, so I’m sure you can help Adora, too.”

“You really are a great friend, Scorpia. I know it can’t be easy to see her and Catra together.”

“Oh, well, you know. Me and Catra, that was just a fantasy. I just want her to be happy. I only ever saw her happy once. She deserves that.”

“You deserve happiness, too, Scorpia.”

“I _am_ happy. I am happy to have you in my life. I am happy to have connected to my rune stone, even if it is terrifunfying at times.”

“I’m glad.” Perfuma says, smiling. “I should get going. Before those two manage to crash the only working glider we have.”

In the distance, she hears Adora and Catra arguing about who’s driving, and who crashed more, and who’s turn it is.

“Please tell me you’re going to be the one steering. I don’t know how those two ever passed Horde driver training. Well, actually, I don’t think they ever did. I was a part of Force Captain Training. Neither of them finished, or well started.”

“But I haven’t either, I only rode on one that one time.”

“Yeah, but you work to stay calm, and you have been learning from Beau and Entrapta. You pick things up really fast, and you wouldn’t make it a competition.”

As Scorpia says this, a crash sounds from the corner where Adora and Catra had been wrestling for dibs on who drove first.

“I think I see what you mean. Thanks for anchoring me. I’ll see you later okay?"

Scorpia smiles, nodding her agreement.

Perfuma heads to the back of the bay. “Knock it off, you two. Get on the glider and be quiet.”

Adora and Catra stop their wrestling, and stare at Perfuma. They look at each other, about to start snarking back and forth.

“What did I say. NOW”

The other two women sheepishly climb onto the glider. Adora starts to take the control stick, but Perfuma crowds her out of the way.

“No. You go sit down. You have the whole trip back to Plumeria to work on your breathing, and on calming thoughts.”

“But…”

  
“Go. Sit. Down.”

Adora sulks over to the side bench and flops down.

“Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?”

“Yes. Beau and Scorpia have been teaching me how to use tech more. It really isn’t much different that working with plants. They do what there designed to do, and you work within that to get the best possible result.”

While she was saying this, she started the glider and maneuvered it smoothly through the bay doors. She sent the craft into a climb, over the spreading vines and flowering trees. A flock of multi-colored birdlike creatures flew along side them for a few miles, before dropping down into the forest.

After a few minutes, Perfuma looks over at the two at the front of the craft.

Catra is crouching in front facing into the wind, ears tipped forward, tail curling back and forth, wrapping and unwrapping itself from Adora’s ankles.

Adora on the other hand has curled into herself, and is doing her best not to look out over the edge of the glider, gripping tight to the edge.

Perfuma thought of all the times Adora had literally launched herself from speeding crafts, or flown above the battles fearlessly on SwiftWind. Now she seemed terrified of heights.

She didn’t understand the shift in her friend’s demeanor, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t make it easier on her.

Perfuma followed the birdlings flight down until she was gliding between the trunks of the trees, skimming just over the ground. She used her connection with the forest to make sure the flight path was clear of obstacles.


	6. Breathe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Text in Italics is an Adaptation of of a meditation from “Letting Go” session  
> “Let’s Meditate” App(Free)  
> Google Play store.

“You really are a good pilot, Perfuma. Maybe you should come with us next time we go into space to help restore Magic to the Universe.

“Oh, I don’t think so. I am happy here on Etheria. I have my balance.”

They fly in silence for a while. Just taking in the

“We have a ways to go before we get to my place. Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I…” Adora starts. “I don’t know. Ever since we started to rebuild the FrightZone, I feel like I’m being watched, hunted. I started having these nightmares, really vivid, horrible nightmares.”

“Is it like when we were in the woods? When you couldn’t sleep? When you went for days, not stopping until you finally got so exhausted you dropped unconscious for a whole day?”

“It is a bit, I guess. Back then, It was more that I felt like I was failing everybody. Like every attack, every village destroyed was my fault. I was so worried that something would happen, because I wasn’t watching, was looking the wrong way, didn’t plan for something. Everytime I closed my eyes, my brain just went a thousand directions.”

“Adora, you had the entire Princess Alliance at your back. You weren’t the only one watching, planning. There were people in the fight that had been there for a lot longer than you. Why would you think it was on you to fix everything?”

“I dunno.”

“She’s always been like this. She doesn’t know _how_ to relax.” Catra chirps.

Instead of snarking back, like she usually would, Adora just lowers her head.

“Hey. Hey. None of that. It’s not something to be ashamed of, or to make you feel like a failure.”

“I just… If I'm not in control, bad things happen.”

“Like what, Adora.”

“Like working out on my own and Catra missing a training session, or SwiftWind being struck by the energy from the Sword and transforming, or the SeaGate collapsing because I’m chasing Bots…”

“None of those were your fault.”

“But…”

“Did you purposefully delay Catra?”

“Well, no. But…”

“Did you intentionally leave the SeaGate unprotected.”

“No, of course not!”

“And SwiftWind. You knew that the sword could transform him? To let him talk. To let him fly?”

“No. I was just trying to get it to work for me again. To make me be SheRa.”

“The sword doesn’t make you SheRa, Adora. You connect to the SheRa Spirit, and it channels your power, enhancing it.”

Perfuma is quiet for a bit, letting Adora process.

“Can I try something? Just try talking you through an exercise I use myself in the morning, or if I am frustrated by something? I think it could help you, Adora. You, too, Catra.”

“Sure, I guess.”

“Okay, come sit down, get comfortable.”

Catra steps away from the front of the craft. She sits, curling her legs up, her tail flicking out towards Adora.

Adora slides down a bit more, sitting straight-legged. She smiles as Catra’s tail curls around her ankle again, and again.

“Are you comfortable?”

The other two nod in agreement.

"Then let’s begin."

_\----------_

_Close your eyes._

_Place your attention on your breath._

_Pull back from the outside world._

_Take a breath in._

_Slowly exhale._

_Allow the tension in your chest_

_In your shoulders_

_In your abdomen_

_To release._

_Allow every exhalation to bring you to a more comfortable, quieter, more relaxed state._

_Melt into your space._

_Release the tension, the tightness, the weight of your body with each breath._

_Surrender._

_Surrender to the Universe._

_Surrender to yourself._

_Don’t worry, no one will know._

_You only control Your words,_

_Your thoughts,_

_your actions._

_You do not control the outcomes._

_You do not control the consequences._

_You do not control people other that yourself._

_We only control ourselves._

_Focus on your body._

_Where do you feel the sensation for the need to control?_

_You might feel a tightening in your jaw._

_A stiffness in your neck._

_A knot in your stomach,_

_A restlessness in your legs and feet._

_An ache in your heart._

_For this Moment Allow yourself to feel._

_Whatever the feeling is,_

_Be with it, don’t push it away._

_Breathe deeply_

_Inhaling_

_And_

_Exhaling_

_Just breathe_

_Just Breathe_

_Focus on the source of your discomfort and pain._

_Allow your self to release and heal._

_Identify the place of pain._

_Name the feeling you have identified._

_Name it._

_Say it out loud_

_Say it again._

_Say it one more time._

_Focus on your body focus on the feeling._

_Place your hand on the place of pain._

_Take a few more deep breaths._

_Inhaling_

_And_

_Exhaling_

_Inhaling_

_And_

_exhaling_

_Bring awareness of this feeling into your body._

_Begin to melt the frozen patterns of your old conditioning._

_Release the area of constriction you have found within yourself._

_Take a deep breath. Breath into the feeling as if your were filling a balloon._

_Take a deep breath in_

_Fill that balloon._

_Exhale._

_Release the balloon._

_Watch it floating up into the sky_

_Getting fainter_

_Lighter._

_Take a deep breath in_

_And_

_Let your breath out._

_Breath in and out._

_Staying in this calm state of relaxed awareness._

_Ask yourself what you need?_

_Ask yourself what is the need underlying your desire to control this aspect in your life._

_What is the feeling that I need?_

_What can you give yourself, right now?_

_What do you need that would require making a request of someone else?_

_When you feel the need to control rising._

_Remember to pause._

_Identify the feeling._

_Ask yourself what you need._

_Address the underlying fear._

_And perform some action to meet your need._

_You control your thoughts, your words, your actions._

_Smile_

_And recognize that you control_

_Your thoughts_

_Your words_

_And_

_Your Actions._

_(Adapted from “Letting Go” "Let’s Meditate” App from Google Play store.)_


	7. Protection

Perfuma glances down at the two women at her feet. Somewhere in the middle of the meditation, they had both fallen asleep.

Catra was curled up, twisted around herself, her tail still wrapping and unwrapping itself from Adora’s ankles. A soft grumbling vibration sounding almost continuously.

Adora, on the other hand, has stretched out. Her arms are spread wide across the side of the glider. Her head has fallen back and to the side, a line of drool pooling on her shoulder. Her foot twitches every time Catra’s tail moves, rubbing along the other woman’s hip.

Smiling at the sight, Perfuma swallows a chuckle and refocuses on flying through the forest.

As she approaches the valley where she has been living, she quietly calls their names to wake them. Only getting grunts in response, she lands in an open area a short way from her home. Summoning the vines around her, she gently moves the sleeping forms to cushions inside.

She ties back the flaps that separate areas of her large tent-like home, allowing light and air to stream in. Moving into an adjoining space, she starts heating some water for a revitalizing tea.

Perfuma is humming softly to herself, sipping her tea as she reviews the plans for rebuilding her community. They had wanted to stay together, but maintain the independent spirit they had enjoyed before the Horde invasion. She was working on a central meeting place where they could gather as one people. Everyone had agreed that that should be the first priority, now that everyone had at least temporary shelter in tents and vine canopies, even some tree-nests.

She is on her second cup when she hears movement in the other room. Looking over, she sees a bleary eyed Adora leaning against the divider.

“Adora, you’re awake.” She says, smiling. “Are you feeling better?”

“I think so. Thanks, Perfuma. Sorry for conking out on you like that.”

“From what little you and Catra told me on the way here, it seems like you needed it.”

“Yeah, I guess I did.”

“Do you think you’re ready to talk about what’s been going on with you? I can tell its more that just bad dreams. I saw how scared and nervous you were on the way here. That’s not like you.”

“No. No it’s not. Or it wasn’t.” Adora looks out, watching the sun shine through the forest canopy.

“Is it just heights? I noticed you calmed and reconnected when I dropped into the trees. We were going just as fast. It should have been even scarier. But you actually went to sleep.”

“I’ve never been afraid of heights.” Adora says.

Perfuma sips her tea.

“I never was. Not ever. Me and Catra would literally run across the roof tops in the FrightZone.”

“Okay.”

“I never was. But now.” Adora looks down. “Now I can’t even look out our balcony. It terrifies me. Nothing has ever terrified me like this. I don’t know what to do.”

“Do you remember when it started? Can you tell me?”

“It was after we stopped Horde Prime. After I restored Hordac. Everyone was celebrating. Everything was green, the sky was bright. I was standing at the top of the hill overlooking the forest. Catra was at my side. Everything seemed whole and good.”

“I remember that, seeing you two in the sunshine, after everything. It was beautiful. It was whole. It was good.”

Adora is quiet, remembering.

“I was so happy. Catra was safe, and with me, really with me. And then…” Adora stops.

“What is it, Adora. What happened?”

“Glimmer and Bow.”

“I don’t understand. What happened to GlimBow. They were fine.”

“Nothing happened to them. But they…They tackled me and Catra. We went over the face of the hill and slid. For a second, less even, I froze. I was afraid we wouldn’t stop sliding.”

“I remember hearing you laughing.”

“Yeah. Because after that split second, that instant of paralysis, I came back. Everything was normal. I wasn’t scared.”

“Do you remember what drew you back?”

Adora thought a moment, going back to that moment, the sensations flooding back in. “Something warm squeezed my ankle.”

“Catra” Perfuma said, smiling.

“How…how did you know?”

“On the way here. She wrapped her tail around your ankle. Even when she was up front, even when you were sleeping. You both kept that connection.”

Before Adora could respond, a thud sounded from other room, followed by a hissing yowl.

“Speaking of Catra…” She stood up, and went to the divider.

A smirk crossed her face as she looked inside.

Curious, Perfuma went to stand beside her.

Catra was struggling with the blanket, having managed to wrap it around herself, tight as a burrito, as she slept. The thud was apparently from her rolling off the sleeping mat.

“Don’t just stand there, Idiot. Get meowt of here.” Catra growls at the two women.

Moving to her side, Adora and Perfuma make quick work of extricating her.

Perfuma stands up, and steps out of the room.

Adora looks at a disgruntled Catra, and smiles.

“What?” Catra asks, grumpy at the abrupt awakening.

Adora just smiles.

Catra rolls her eyes.

“Come on. We’ve wasted enough of Perfuma’s time, just sleeping.”

Adora nods her head, still smiling, and helps Catra to her feet.

“What are you smiling at?”

“You.”

“Why? Is my hair weird or something?”

“No. Just you.”

“Whatever.” Catra pushes her shoulder into Adora’s side, knocking her sideways.

They join Perfuma, who has stepped outside. Her arms are raised above her head, palms facing the sun as it drops behind the trees. Neither woman had realized how late the day had grown.

“Come with me. The twilight meal is ready.”

“Perfuma, I’m sorry we’ve wasted your day.” Adora says.

“A day spent helping friends find peace is not wasted.”

“But, we didn’t even talk, and we fell asleep when you tried to meditate us, and we dragged you away from helping with the Hospital.”

Perfuma paused in the pathway, and turned towards Adora. “You are worthy of my time and care. You dragged me nowhere, you wasted nothing.”

“But…”

“Adora, you asked me for my help, it is willingly given. Glimmer and her people have the hospital well in hand. I gained peace through the meditation, and joy in seeing my friends heal a little. And we did speak, and I have learned much from observing how you care for each other.”

She turns back to the path, walking towards the sounds of her people gathering together, sharing their day and a meal around a softly glowing fire.

Adora stands still. Catra wraps her arm around her side, her tail coils around her ankle, anchoring her.

“Come on.” Adora lets herself be pulled ahead. They find a place on the outskirts of the fire, a bench made of a carved in a wide section of fallen vine. Almost before they are settled, a villager approaches them with hand carved bowls filled with steaming food. Another approaches with mugs filled with warm cider.

Across the fire, someone starts strumming an instrument. Soft conversation flows through the gathering. Before long the soft trill of a flute joins the song, and merges with the sounds of the gloaming. A hooting owl, and the call of an eventide hunter. The wind rustling the grasses. Adora slides off the bench and leans against catra’s leg. She tilts her head back, and watches the day fade to starry night.

The stars.

She still can’t believe how the night sky looks. It had been a black void, lit only by Etheria’s moon, as long as she could remember.

Now, looking up, she saw uncountable stars, and what she had learned were other planets, slowly moving across the sky. As she watched, a bright streak flashed.

“Make a wish.” Catra says.

“Hmm?”

“The shooting star. Make a wish on a shooting star, it may come true.”

“Where did you learn that?”

“I don’t know. It just came to me. That you make a wish on a shooting star.”

“I like that.” Adora grins. “I wish…”

A hand clamps over her mouth, startling her.

“Don’t tell me, dummy. Then it won’t come true.”

Adora raises an eyebrow. “ulrit. Muv yr hun.”

“What?” Catra says, giggling.

Adora pulls her hand away. “I said, alright, move your hand.”

“I don’t need any shooting stars though. I already got all my wishes.”

Catra just looks at her, holding her hand.

“Aren’t you going to ask?”

Catra shakes her head. She brings their joined hands up to her lips, pressing a kiss to the back of Adora’s hand.

“I don’t need to. I got all my wishes too.”

Adora smiles at that. “That’s really sappy.”

Catra shrugs, and goes back to watching the sky.

Hoofbeats thud on the ground, a soft nicker sounds behind them.

They glance back in time to see Swift Wind kneeling down just behind their bench.

“Hey, Swifty. What’s going on?”

“I just wanted to make sure you’re OK. I feel like we haven’t been, you know, connecting, lately.”

“I’m sorry Swifty.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, Swift Wind. I’m just having some trouble readjusting since we defeated Horde Prime.”

“Do you want to talk about it? I’m a great listener. We could go for a ride, you haven’t flown with me in months.”

Adora tenses up. Just the thought of flying is enough to make her anxious.

“I…I…I…”

“Hey, why don’t we go for a ride through the forest. Melog and I can join you.”

“Is something wrong? Don’t you want to fly with me anymore? Eversince you were on Mara’s ship, I’m not good enough. I could fly to space, if I wanted to, maybe. Though the air does get really thin, and it’s so cold up high. And my wings don’t seem to grab the air as w…”

“Swifty, stop. It has nothing to do with the space ship. Or with you. I loved flying with you. But…I’m scared.”

“But you’ve never been scared of anything! You’re SheRa!”

“Well, I’m scared now. I don’t know why, but I am.”

Perfuma, observing the trio, walks over to join them. “We’ll figure it out, Adora. You’re not alone.”

SwiftWind nods his head. “Yeah!”

He looks at Catra. “So, you and Melog will go with Adora and me?

“Absolutely. We’ll head out tomorrow, after we have a session with Perfuma.”


End file.
